Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Work or Pay Systems - Authorization

[OC611NGC (normangauss]

Our community has instituted an authorization policy.  No task shall be 
recognized as legitimate unless authorized by an overseeing committee. It 
would be nice if we could informally do whatever needed doing.  However, the 
desire for control of tasks by overseers has resulted in a reluctance on the 
part of individuals (especially me) to pitch in whenever there is a need or 
a problem.

Here is a partial list of tasks falling under this policy:
1. Miscellaneous cleaning of the common house (occasional sweeping and 
tidying up).
2. Cleaning the toilets on an as needed basis.
3. Checking the lightbulbs and changing burnt-out ones.  If anyone does this 
without prior authorization they are subject to reprimand.
4. Plugging leaks in the drip irrigation system. Subject to reprimand.
5. Fixing leaky faucets.  Subject to reprimand.
5. Cleaning out clogged lawn sprinklers.  Subject to reprimand.
6. Landscape tasks such as trimming overgrown plants or repairing brown 
spots in the lawn. Subject to reprimand.

As a result of this policy, most people just watch leaks, dying lawns, and 
overgrown plants because, we know that we will be chastised if we lift a 
finger.

This way of having subcommittees of the HOA authorize and oversee everything 
in the common area is similar to the way standard condominium HOAs achieve 
upkeep of the property.  It is opposite to what I envisioned as the way 
cohousing was supposed to work.

I think there is a middle ground, but it will require some creating thinking 
to make this happen.

Norm Gauss


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sharon Villines" <sharon [at] sharonvillines.com>
To: "Cohousing-L" <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 6:21 AM
Subject: Re: [C-L]_ Work or Pay Systems


> On Jul 15, 2008, at 9:12 PM, Jenny Guy wrote:
>
> > I'm concerned that this would mean some people's time is seen as
> > more valuable,
> > since not everyone would have the aptitude to do certain high-value
> > tasks.
>
> The only way to evaluate tasks is on an hour per hour basis.
>
> You will quickly find that all tasks worth having done at all will
> have high value because they enrich the life of the community and/or
> you are dependent on them being done.
>
> I value the person who cleans the toilets in the CH, a job that would
> have a fairly low pay in the general swim of things (pun intended),
> because I don't like doing it and it is very important that they be
> clean and presentable. And a real value to the package and mail
> delivery people because they sometimes come in twice a day when they
> only deliver once.
>
> The person who cleans the toilets is a child psychiatrist who often
> does it at midnight when she returns from her evening shift an army
> hospital.
>
> I also value people who dust and mop the CH every two weeks -- they
> are worth their weight in gold. No one has to go around asking for
> someone to "please do this."
>
> Our senior elder who sweeps the walks every week. The "lighting
> goddess" who checks all the light bulbs and changes the burned out
> ones. And recycles the bulbs. And the person who takes care of the old
> batteries -- I'm not even sure who that is. I put them in a big jar on
> top of the refrigerator and go blissfully on my way unconcerned that I
> am polluting the earth by sending to a landfill.
>
> The person who takes care of the compost and the one who maintains the
> recycling bins and dumps the container of discarded junk mail into
> them twice a week.
>
> All these people become as important and often more important to daily
> life than "high skill" jobs.
>
> In terms of aptitude, the aptitude to sweep those walks or dust the
> windowsills -- repeatedly -- is as unique as those of the treasurer.
> If I had to do it I would go stark raving mad. And not do a very good
> job because I would be trying to get it done as quickly as possible so
> I could go do something "more important."
>
> I happily spend time improving and updating the database I use to
> print out contact sheets (one of the most praised things I do), to
> print out the mail directory so people can get their mail when they
> move, and the parking diagram so we can identify wrongly parked cars
> rather than towing them away. Or to find the relative of a person who
> has had a serious accident.
>
> It's taken me many years to develop these skills but they would have
> very low priority if we suddenly had to pick and choose which tasks
> got done this month.
>
> Sharon
> ----
> Sharon Villines in Washington DC
> Where all roads lead to Casablanca
>
>
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